Connecticut's Lyle McCombs, right, is brought down by Connecticut's Jefferson Ashiru, left, during UConn's Blue-White spring NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn., Saturday, April 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Photo: Jessica Hill, Associated Press

Connecticut's Lyle McCombs, right, is brought down by Connecticut's...

Connecticut head coach Paul Pasqualoni, left, talks to his team after UConn's Blue-White spring NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn., Saturday, April 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Photo: Jessica Hill, Associated Press

Connecticut head coach Paul Pasqualoni, left, talks to his team...

Connecticut quarterback Chandler Whitmer throws during UConn's Blue-White spring NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn., Saturday, April 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

STORRS -- In Paul Pasqualoni's initial two seasons at UConn, he's opened the schedule with a couple of Football Championship Subdivision cupcakes, Fordham and UMass. His predecessor, Randy Edsall, also had several easy marks on the schedule with Rhode Island, Hofstra, Maine, Liberty and Texas Southern all easy wins.

Thursday night's season opener against Towson could be a different story.

Last season, Towson went to Baton Rouge, La., and gave No. 3 LSU all it could handle before falling 38-22. The last thing the Huskies want to do is be the next Football Bowl Subdivision team to be upset by a Colonial Athletic Association squad when the two face off at Rentschler Field (7:30 p.m., online at ESPN3) in the 2013 season opener for both teams.

"Towson's got quite a few players that can play with anybody. This'll be the toughest opener since I've been here," Pasqualoni said in his weekly pre-game meeting with the media. "I think their run game with the tailback, the kid (Terrance) West, it's outstanding with their offensive line. To stop a really good back like this, you've got to commit some people up front to stop the run. We're going to have to be careful."

Pasqualoni knows that overall, the CAA is a strong conference. Towson was a co-champion in 2012, finishing 7-4, and before that, the Tigers went 9-3 and earned a FCS playoff spot.

"This league that Towson's in (CAA), if you look at the history of this league, somebody beats a I-A opponent every year," Pasqualoni said.

And he's right. In 2009, Richmond beat Duke in Durham, N.C., and then did it again in 2011. Villanova won at Temple in 2009, William & Mary beat Virginia, also in 2009. And in 2010, James Madison went to Blacksburg, Va., and knocked off Virginia Tech.

"That's a hard job," Pasqualoni said. "I've been down in Blacksburg trying to do that with a good I-A team. That's a hard job. I don't think there's very much difference (between FCS and FBS), to tell you the truth. They've got guys that can play with anybody."

Like West, who rushed for 1,051 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. Like receiver Spencer Wilkins, who caught 32 passes for 352 yards and a touchdown. Like middle linebacker Monte Gaddis, who had 74 tackles and five sacks, and like cornerback Jordan Love, who had 35 tackles, five pass breakups and two interceptions.

"That corner (Jordan) Love is a great defender," Pasqualoni said. "He can play for anybody. When you start for the University of Georgia as a freshman, that means you're a pretty good player.

"I really like their middle linebacker (Gaddis). I think he's an excellent player. I think their (defensive) front is very active and the amount of pressure they put on the blitz is another thing that really concerns me. They try to force you into mistakes."

One unknown for Pasqualioni is Towson's quarterback. Last week, head coach Rob Ambrose -- who was the Huskies QB coach from 2002-05 and the offensive coordinator from 2006-08 -- announced that senior Peter Athens won the job over Connor Frazier. Athens did not play in 2012, played just five games in 2011 and sat out the 2010 season with a knee injury after being injured halfway through his freshman season (2009). His career stats are: 81 completions, 1,023 yards, seven touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

"He had a very, very good camp," Ambrose said of Athens. "It was a three-horse race and then it went down to two between he and Connor Frazier. And while Connor was good and the race was tight, the last scrimmage pretty much did it and Pete pulled away."

However, Pasqualoni is expecting to see both Athens and Frazier.

"We're preparing to see two quarterbacks," he said. "We're preparing to see Frazier. My understanding is that he's the better runner of the two. They do a great job with the QB run phase. That's a concern as well."

What's not a concern will be the Huskies' energy level. Pasqualoni expects it to be off the charts.

"I think you see that excitement, that light at the end of the tunnel that we're going to play someone else," the coach said. "Lining up after all these days of practice, getting in the stadium and playing the game. I certainly see that in their body language for sure."